Finger cot



- Feb. 22, i949.

` W. MEYER FINGER COT Filed July 11, 1945 Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES Cole. Chicago 11,1-, 'doing business agli/it TffCQie.

Application July 11, 1945, Seria-l`No-.f60/1`,437

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a iiexible article and particularly to a member which may be formed of rubber or rubber-like material, whether natural or synthetic. It has for one object to provide a member which may be put over the finger and which will conform itself to many different sizes of fingers.

Another object is 'to provide an elastic finger tip member for use' in counting and leang through material in which a slightly rough or adhesive surface is desired for the finger.

Another object is to provide in connection with such a device Ventilating means.

Another object is to shape such a device so that it will conform itself to many different sizes of inserted members before the inherent elasticity of the device itself is brought into play.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claim. Although the invention is shown herewith as particularly useful in connection with a nger tip member, its use is not limited to that purpose and it may be used for any purpose for which a device of the type shown is suitable.

This invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the device;

Figure 2 is a side elevation taken at an'angle of l 90 from that of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section taken at line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a transverse section'taken at line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and the drawings.

The device of this invention comprises generally a tubular, and, in the particular form here shown, a cylindrical body I. Formed integrally with the body I is a member 2 which partially closes one end and leaves an opening 3. The member I is freely open at its opposite end, as at 4. One or more flutes or lateral enlargements 5 may be formed longitudinally or lengthwise of the member I. In the particular form here shown, there are two such flutes, but one or several might be used.

In conjunction with each flute an internal groove, depression or thinned portion 6 is formed. In the particular form here shown, as indicated in Figure 6, the groove 6 is of a depth at least equal to the thickness of the body I. The depth 2 of the groove 6 might be greater or less than that shown. The flute 5 need not run vertically, but whatever the disposition of the flute or flutes, the grooves 6 would correspond to the disposition of the flutes, and there would preferably be one groove for each flute. It is, however, contemplated that enlargements as shown in the top or upper part of the device will be formed for which no grooves or depressions are present.

The open bottom 4 is preferably provided with an enlargement or reinforcing member l, and the A exterior sides of the body I may be provided with transverse enlargements B and with vertical enlargements 9. These might be omitted entirely 0r might be of different pattern or disposition.

In general, the purpose of the utes and grooves, whether there be one or several of these members, is vto provide means for permitting deformation of the device before actual stretching of the material away from the flutes occurs. Obviously that portion of the material which forms the flute will be deformed upon the occurrence of enlargement, but until substantial enlargement has occurred, no stretching is necessary in the body portion I. The device can thus readily accommodate itself to many different sizes of fingers.

The device may be used not merely as a nger tip, but to iit upon and to provide a roughened member or handle-like part for rods, knobs and other mechanical elements, and whatever the use to which it is put, the iiute or fiutes serve to ine crease the adaptability of the member.

Although I have shown an operative form of vmy invention, it will be recognized that many changes in the form, shape, and arrangement of parts can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and my showing is there fore to be taken as, in a sense, diagrammatic.

The use and operation of this invention are as follows:

In the particular form here shown, the device is primarily suitable for use as a n'ger tip. The

I claim:

As an article of manufacture, a nger tip device of generally rounded cross section formed of readily elastic rubber like material, said device comprising an elongated hollow member freely open at one end and provided at its opposite end with a tapered integral portion, the exterior of the device being shaped with roughening members, there being a plurality of outwardly extending narrow flutes formed integrally in said device and extending substantially from end to end thereof, said flutes extending outwardly beyond the main diameter of said device, and narrow grooves extending from the interior of said device into each of said ilutes, said grooves extending outwardly beyond the main diameter of said device, said utes extending upwardly over the ta- 4 pered portion, and an enlarged laterally extending bead formed about the open end of said device. said grooves occupying not more than twenty per cent of the circumference of said device.

WALTER MEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 942,003 Marsh Nov. 30, 1909 2,075,681 Welker Mar. 30, 1937 2,077,540 Welker Apr. 20, 1937 2,379,624 Chisnell July 3, 1945 

